I thought the Knicks were gonna lose a series before it started. As I said the Pacers are pathetically underrated. Coaching matters and they have the best coach in the league. They beat the crap out of the number one seed.
The Pacers are very good, in the best-case scenario this was going to be a long coin toss series, but everything changed with the way the Knicks lost game 1. It essentially took any competitive mental battle out of the series. To me, everything has to be viewed differently after the game 1 epic all-time collapse. What I find interesting is I would argue Rose is in almost the exact same situation as Drury was last summer. The Rangers were coming off an ECF run, and obviously very clearly needed major core changes after the Florida loss, it was obvious to anyone who was paying close attention. Drury fell into the trap of "we just made the ECF, how can I make major changes, we don't need that", and the rest is history as the Rangers had a horrific season. The Knicks are coming off an ECF run, they don't need major core changes, but obviously very clearly need a new coach, and one more very good player to be a legit title contender, it is obvious to anyone paying close attention. Will Rose fall into the Drury trap "we just made the ECF, how can I fire the coach, and we don't need another very good player, we don't need that". He must have the foresight to see big picture and know what the team needs, he cannot be fooled like Drury was. I have faith in Rose, but I also understand it is going to be extremely difficult to fire the coach after an ECF trip and making it further than the Knicks have in 25 years. Adding another very good player may be a challenge also due to available tradable assets and cap flexibility, but Rose must find a way to do it. The Knicks are not good enough as is, that's just reality, staying the course with this roster is dooming the Knicks to a very good but not a great title contending team, and that is worst thing to be. If Tibs stays I fear the Knicks will not make it back to the ECF next season, let alone win the title. It's a huge test for Rose this summer. Drury failed the test miserably, and we paid for it as Rangers fans (I am hopeful he does much better on the test this summer). Will Rose pass the test, or do we have to suffer through a major step back Knicks season, we'll see.
The miracle comeback in Game 1 couldn't have happened without their pro wrestling style officiating, missing obvious goaltending, allowing moving screens to free up shooters then grappling Knick defenders trying to work through. The NBA and NHL have always operated with the philosophy that NYC teams will always sell out whether they win championships or not while smaller markets need officiating help to win championships to grow the sport. The NHL has always disrespected the Rangers, allowing another franchise within 20 miles of the Garden then completely changing the rules of hockey to help the hapless Devils succeed while the sport faltered. The NBA officiating has always been suspect to the point they had to admit that one (just one) ref was fixing games for gamblers, no sport has as many late game shenanigans with the point spreads as the NBA.
Overall, I do agree NY gets the short end of the stick in many ways. I think your point of NY always selling out win or lose plays a part. Meanwhile, you have teams like the Pens about to relocate until the league gifted them Crosby. So, I agree with your overall premise of officials and leagues themselves disrespecting NY teams. With that said, while I do agree with you, I would also say these NY franchises have been so poorly run by ownership and/or Pres/GM's, that is a factor also (always going for the fat cat soft big-name stars instead of building a real tough cohesive blue-collar team). I would say the poor ownership and/or leadership have compounded a bad situation of anti-NY officials and leagues. It's been sort of a perfect storm, that's why NY almost never wins in sports, zero titles since 2011, and 3 titles since 2000. It's really sad NY is awful in sports.
I don't think it matters, and I expect the Knicks to get blown out tonight, but I was reading Tibs may put Robinson in the starting lineup over Hart, I like that idea. It's too late now to make an impact and change the series, game 2 would have been a better time to make that move, but it makes sense to me. It pains me to say it, but I do not think game 3 will be close at all. I think the game will be over early, and there won't be much to watch. There is a pretty strong chance the Knicks will get embarrassingly swept.
Blaming the officials makes you look like a pussy. The Knicks lost the first two games because their head coach is inferior to the Pacers head coach. Thibodeaux has had every opportunity to play the bench more during the regular season to develop them and he refuses to do that.
Indiana is not as good at home as on the road. Does not mean that the knicks will win but hopefully can still make a close series at least. They've been one of the best teams on the road in the playoffs. MSG teams have sucked ass historically at home in big games in the playoffs. I would rather prefer both the Rangers and the Knicks not to have any sort of home ice/court advantage this deep in the playoffs.
Tibs is not a good coach for where the Knicks want to go and be. I said it last season during the playoffs, I would have fired him last summer. I also said it before and during these playoffs. Tibs needs to go, and Rose should not have his judgement clouded by an ECF run, Rose needs to avoid the Drury trap. I also don't think you can blame the officials for an all-time epic collapse in game 1. I do agree they blew some calls late, but when you blow a 9-point lead with under one minute remaining in the game, the first time in 27 years and over 1,400 games that happened, that's not on the refs. Did the refs miss FT's down the stretch, did the refs turn the ball over down the stretch, did the refs leave Indiana shooters wide open down the stretch, the answer to all is no. Multiple things can be true, the Knicks F'd themselves with their terrible sloppy play late AND if the refs did a better job the Knicks would have survived their terrible sloppy play late and held on to win game 1. Both things can be true, but at the end of the day you cannot blame the refs for the L when the Knicks were terrible and sloppy late and never should have put themselves in a position where the refs would matter late.
Indiana is much better at home than on the road the past couple of seasons, especially with Haliburton. They were 29-11 at home during the regular season and 20-20 on the road. In the playoffs last season, they were 6-0 at home in rounds 1 & 2, before Haliburton got hurt in the Boston series. They were 2-7 on the road in the playoffs last season with Haliburton. In the playoffs so far this season, they are 4-1 at home, and 6-1 on the road. This season they are good at home and on the road. I do like the Knicks better on the road, I agree there though. They have played much better on the road in the playoffs overall, they are 5-1 on the road so far this year. But they were also 0-3 on the road against Indiana in last year's series and got blown out twice. I have liked the Rangers much better on the road in the playoffs for years now, and I feel the same way about the Knicks, though not as strongly. With that said, I really don't see a way this game is close, I think the Knicks will get blown out tonight. They lost everything in the epic collapse. I just checked, and Indiana is only favored by 1.5 points, man that seems like a slam dunk cover, crazy the spread is so low. I think we all can agree, if the Knicks lose game 3 it's over. If there is going to be a prideful emotional last stand, this is it. We'll see what type of energy and passion they come out with. If they lay an egg, I think it makes a huge statement about them mentally and should tell Rose all he needs to know about the coach. And if it were my choice, I would absolutely be starting Robinson tonight. I think it should give the Knicks better balance and flow starters/bench. I hope Tibs makes the change.
lol I don’t even know these new guys Thibs decided to put in because he barely uses his bench except for deuce and Mitch and sometimes crappy Payne
Bridges, Anunoby and Towns are trash. Doubtful you can win a championship with them as a supporting cast for Brunson
Have to give the Knicks credit for their resilient gritty performance tonight. I thought it was going to be a blowout tonight, and down 20 it appeared to be heading in that direction, but the Knicks kept battling and got a huge win. Nothing but credit and kudos to the team, and Tibs, tonight, they deserve it. I will say two things though to keep us grounded and focused as fans: 1. Tonight is a perfect example of why I don't think Tibs is the right coach. What worked tonight, even if it was out of necessity, he played the bench. 9 players played over 10 minutes, both Wright and Shamet gave them some solid minutes. This is what needs to happen every game, Tibs needs to play some of the bench guys a few minutes here and there. His absolute utter refusal to do so is one of his biggest short comings as a coach (and his team's lack of creativity on O). I saw someone get asked a question after the game about how Shamet and Wright stepped up for some solid minutes, and what was the difference with them, my answer to that question is super simple, Tibs actually gave them a chance. He needs to play the bench a bit going forward, if he doesn't and instead goes back to BAU, the Knicks will suffer as a result. 2. Great win, great fight, great battle back, great resiliency, saved their season for another game, all 100% true and cannot take one thing away from them. With that said, it means jack if they don't win game 4. That's just the reality of the hole the Knicks dug for themselves. If they lose game 4 and go down 3-1, the series is over, just like it would have been if they fell down 3-0. So, all is great tonight, awesome win, need to win game 4 to really make it matter, otherwise it's window dressing on a 5 or 6 game series loss. As for game 4, I have no feel. I felt tonight was going to be a bad night, they came back and proved me wrong. I can see the Knicks winning game 4, and I can see the Pacers bouncing back with energy and passion at home and winning game 4, to me it's a game that can truly go either way and I wouldn't be surprised. After the game 1 epic collapse, maybe tonight's win gives the Knicks their mental mojo back though, which is a very good thing, and hopefully something they carry into game 4. Combine that with Tibs hopefully trusting/playing the bench again, and the hope/expectation that OG, Bridges, and Brunson all should play better (it would also be nice if the Knicks can stay out of foul trouble), and I think game 4 is wide open in another absolute must win for the Knicks.
Great win and response from Towns in the 4th after the refs put Brunson in foul trouble early because that's what the fans want to see.
Tibs is 22-21 postseason as Knicks coach. I don't think he's been as bad as some have written, pro basketball players are the hardest to coach. The fact that the Knicks have come back from 3 20+ point deficits this year shows me that Tibs can keep the team motivated, pretty much the only job an NBA coach has. Suggesting that the Pacers coaching staff was responsible for hitting all those wild 3 pointers in the first game would be a conclusion that only the occasional Knicks viewer like Dump would come to, that was pure playground ball and impressive shooting. I don't see another coach coming in and transforming guys who have been marginal defenders their whole lives into stoppers.
This is Tibs 13th season as an NBA head coach. During that time his teams have reached the Conference Finals twice, with Chicago in his very first year as coach in 2010-2011, and now this season. His teams have never reached an NBA Finals. That's a solid record, and to me Tibs is a solid coach. I think he's built for teams that maybe aren't as talented, and he gets a lot out of them. BUT I don't think he is built for taking more talented teams all the way, and his career shows that IMO, two CF's in 13 years, 0 NBA Finals. The way Tibs absolutely utterly refuses to play a bench is a humongous knock on him as a coach, and it's been that way his whole entire career. His teams are not great offensively either and really struggle with creativity and flow. He is so inflexible, and again it really hurts him as a coach. He has one way of doing things, and he isn't changing or tweaking that for anything. I think game 4 is going to be a great test for Tibs. Will he stick with playing 9 guys 10 + minutes each, will he give Wright some time as a good defender, will he play Shamet again. These are all things I will be watching closely. If he goes back to a tight 7, playing McBride less than 20 minutes, I will not be happy, and once again will show who inflexible Tibs really is. I'm really going to be interested in seeing what Tibs does with the rotation in game 4, and beyond. With all that said, make no mistake about it, Tibs is a good solid coach, borderline a very good coach, won't take that away from him. I don't think he's a great coach due to his inflexibility, and I question his ability to take a team all the way. He's also not Carlisle who has taken his teams to the Conference Finals 5 times, including this season, and won an NBA title as a coach with Dallas. It doesn't mean Carlisle is an all-time great coach or some mastermind, but his overall body of work is better than Tibs, and I think he's a very good coach, to Tibs who is a good solid coach.
No, my conclusion was you’re a pussy blaming the officials for the loss. lol. Dipshit Brunson had 5 fouls again last game. Maybe it’s not the officials.
